APRIL 28, 2013

Bree Sposato, Travel + Leisure

Yosemite National Park, California

On the Yosemite Walking & Hiking tour from Backroads, stroll beneath a 1,800-year-old giant sequoia in the park’s Mariposa Grove and stay in the 123-room Ahwahnee hotel, a National Historic Landmark, before hiking to the roaring Lower Yosemite Falls alongside two naturalist guides. Six days from $2,998. (see bottom for levels of difficulty)

Europe: Engadine

The Draw: This valley in Switzerland’s easternmost corner is known for wildflower meadows, Bronze Age ruins, glaciated peaks, and charming inns.

The Trip: An inn-to-inn tour with Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures stops at cozy wood-paneled chalets and 17th-century houses. Seven days from $3,740.